Former Newcastle United midfielder Kieron Dyer believes that the NFL’s Rooney Rule should not be applied to English football, despite calls from some corners for more black and ethnic minority coaches to be appointed to top jobs within the game.

The comments come after research from the Sports People’s Think Tank showed that professional coaches from black and ethnic minority backgrounds occupied just 19 roles in the top 552 positions in the top four divisions.

Under the terms of the Rooney Rule, which has proven successful in the NFL, every club would be required to shortlist and interview a minimum of one black or ethnic minority coach.

But, speaking to the Daily Telegraph, former Ipswich Town and Newcastle United midfielder Kieron Dyer argued that the Rooney Rule would not work in England and furthermore rejected the concept entirely.

"I want to be interviewed because the chairman wants to interview me,” he said.

"I don’t want to be interviewed because it’s filling a quota. I don’t want to be on a shortlist because football clubs are told I have to be because I’m black.

"I don’t agree with the Rooney Rule either. That’s me personally, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t worked in America, but I don’t like the idea here."

Jack Beresford

Jack is a 27-year-old writer with experience in writing about sport in a range of guises. He’s something of a statto when it comes to soccer and has a passion for English football at all levels, as well as Serie A and the Bundesliga.